Urchin (band)
Encyclopedia
Early years
It was formed in 1972 by childhood friends Dave MurrayDave Murray (musician)
David Michael Murray is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as one of the earliest members of the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden.-Biography:...
and Adrian Smith
Adrian Smith
Adrian Frederick "H" Smith is an English musician and one of three guitarists in the heavy metal band, Iron Maiden. He is also one of the band's regular songwriters and, along with bassist Steve Harris, performs backing vocals on some songs.-Biography:While at school, Smith purchased his first...
. Along with bassist John Hoye
John Hoye
John Hoye is a British actor and bass guitarist. He was born on 6 May 1957 in the London Borough of Hackney. He attended St Dominic’s Primary School and Cardinal Pole RC School in Hackney.-Musical career:...
and various drummers, they learnt their first songs and entered a few local talent competitions and played their first gig's in Hoye's school.
Early in 1974 Murray decided to leave and join a 'proper' band and Smith and Hoye met up with guitarist Maurice Coyne
Maurice Coyne
Maurice Coyne attended Colvestone Primary School in Dalston, and Upton House Secondary School in Hackney. In 1974 he formed the band 'Evil Ways' with Adrian Smith, John Hoye and Barry Tyler. In 1975 they were joined by singer David Hall. In 1976 the band changed their name to Urchin and were...
who was a friend of a friend. After a jam session in Hoye's school hall, they decided to form a band and Evil Ways was born. A drummer Barry Tyler then joined the band. After gigging around local pubs they decided that they needed a singer/frontman, and recruited Dubliner Dave Hall.
By this time Evil Ways were playing regularly at most of the well known London venues. In August 1976 they were signed by Nomis/Morgan (owned by Simon Napier-Bell
Simon Napier-Bell
Simon Napier-Bell has undertaken many jobs in the music industry, including bandboy, manager, producer, songwriter, journalist and author and gourmet...
) who changed the band's name to Urchin, and got them a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with DJM Records
DJM Records
DJM Records was the record label set up in the 1970s by British music publisher, Dick James, distributed by Pye Records in the UK and various other companies around the world, including the USA...
. Their first single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
was going to be 'Without Love', written by Dave Hall, with "Rocka Rolla" (the Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
song) as the B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
. They were recorded in a studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
in Denmark Street
Denmark Street
Denmark Street is a short narrow road in central London, notable for its connections with British popular music, and is known as the British Tin Pan Alley. The road connects Charing Cross Road at its western end with St Giles High Street at its eastern end. Denmark Street is in the London Borough...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
but were never released. Soon after, Hoye left the band and was replaced by Alan Levett (an old school friend of Tyler's).
Line-up changes
"Black Leather Fantasy", was released on 13 May 1977 and is now a collectors item. Hall left the band in July 1977, followed by Coyne in January 1978. Coyne was replaced, briefly, by Dave Murray who had left Iron MaidenIron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
after an argument. Murray decided not to stay and after playing on the recording of the band's second single - "She's A Roller" / "Long Time No Woman" - he returned to Iron Maiden.. Urchin carried on and recruited guitarist Andy Barnett and later keyboard player Richard (Dick) Young
Richard Young
Richard Young is the name of:*Richard Young , professional wrestler*Richard Young , American film and television actor*Richard Young , Canadian bishop...
. However, the advent of punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
led to the loss of their recording contract and meant that live work was drying up as their brand of hard rock was no longer fashionable. Eventually the band broke up and in early 1980 Smith and Barnett formed The Broadway Brats with ex members of Blazer Blazer. Later that year Smith was invited to replace guitarist Dennis Stratton
Dennis Stratton
Dennis Stratton is a guitar player who is best known as a former member of the British band Iron Maiden from October 1979 to October 1980.-Biography:...
in Iron Maiden.
Reunions
On 19 December 1985 Smith organised a reunion of his mates and performed the live recording The Entire Population of HackneyThe Entire Population of Hackney
The Entire Population of Hackney is the name used for a project featuring members of Iron Maiden, FM and Urchin that played two concerts in 1985. It is also the name used for a bootleg recording of the first show...
at the Marquee Club
Marquee Club
The Marquee was a music club first located at 165 Oxford Street, London, England when it opened in 1958 with a range of jazz and skiffle acts.It was also the location of the first ever live performance by The Rolling Stones on 12 July 1962....
in London along with Nicko McBrain
Nicko McBrain
Michael Henry "Nicko" McBrain is an English musician, best known as the drummer for Iron Maiden, which he joined in 1982, prior to which he had played for Streetwalkers, Pat Travers, and the French political band, Trust.-Biography:...
. Later in this recording, the rest of his bandmates from Iron Maiden appeared on stage. In 1989, Smith got some of his Urchin bandmates and some friends together to form his separate project, ASAP
ASAP (band)
ASAP was a progressive rock band created by guitarist and vocalist Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden fame. ASAP released an album in 1989 titled Silver and Gold. A.S.A.P...
(Adrian Smith and Project). They recorded two singles, "Silver and Gold" and "Down the Wire" and one album, Silver and Gold. They did not tour and split after Smith left Iron Maiden in 1990.
In 1992, Smith once again got together some of the ASAP bandmates to form the band The Untouchables, which lasted until 1994 when he decided to re-name the band and hire a lead singer. This was called Psycho Motel
Psycho Motel
Psycho Motel was a British hard rock band, formed by Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith.-History:The band was formed in 1995 by Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith after he left Maiden in 1990. Smith briefly experimented with a project called ASAP before seemingly retiring from the music industry...
.
In 2004, High Roller Records released a limited and handnumbered 330 copies on silver vinyl album, Urchin, including four single tracks, one live recording and five unreleased songs. In 2010, High Roller Records released a full length album called High Roller, first released on a limited number of 1500 copies, 300 black vinyl with white border, 400 white vinyl and 800 black vinyl with a 20 pages booklet, and later in 2011, was released a CD version with a 24 pages booklet and a limited number of 1000 copies.
There are unnoficials live albums, recorded on K7 tapes and currently distribuited on the internet.
Singles
- "Black Leather Fantasy" (1977)
- "Black Leather Fantasy"
- "Rock 'n' Roll Woman"
- She's a Roller" (1978)
- "She's a Roller"
- "Long Time No Woman"
Albums
- Urchin (2004)
- "She's a Roller"
- "Long Time No Woman"
- "Black Leather Fantasy"
- "Rock & Roll Woman"
- "See Right Through You" (Live)
- "See Right Through You"
- "Walking out on You"
- "Somedays"
- "Watch Me Walk Away"
- "The Latest Show"
- "Lifetime"
- Urchin - High Roller (2010)
- "Keeping It Mellow"
- "Life In The City"
- "Watch Me Walk Away"
- "Countdown"
- "Lifetime"
- "The Late Show"
- "My Lady"
- "Animals"
Unofficial Live Albums
- Urchin - Live In Oxford (1979)
- "Life In The City"
- "Countdown"
- "Walking Out On You"
- "Little Girl"
- "Steal My Heart"
- "The User"
- "Without Love"
- "30 Days In The Hole"
- "Music"
- "Somebody Like You"
- "Rocky Mountain way"
- "Lifetime"
- "Animals"
- "Stay For Me"
- "Watch Me Walk Away"
- "See Me Through"
- Urchin - Bbc Friday Rock Show (1977)
- "See Right Through You"
- "Walking Out On You"
- "Someday"
- "Watch Me Walk Away"
- "The Latest Show"
- "Lifetime"
Last known line-up
- Adrian SmithAdrian SmithAdrian Frederick "H" Smith is an English musician and one of three guitarists in the heavy metal band, Iron Maiden. He is also one of the band's regular songwriters and, along with bassist Steve Harris, performs backing vocals on some songs.-Biography:While at school, Smith purchased his first...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(1974–1980), vocals (1977–1980) - Andy BarnettFM (British band)FM are a British AOR/'80s rock band. In the U.S., they are often referred to as FMUK. They have released eleven albums to date. Two of those, Indiscreet and Tough It Out reached the UK Albums Chart, whilst five of the band's singles made inroads into the UK Singles Chart.-Career:FM was formed in...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(1978–1980) - Richard YoungRichard YoungRichard Young is the name of:*Richard Young , professional wrestler*Richard Young , American film and television actor*Richard Young , Canadian bishop...
- keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
(1979–1980) - Alan Levett - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1976–1980) - Barry Tyler - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(1974–1980)
Former members
- Maurice CoyneMaurice CoyneMaurice Coyne attended Colvestone Primary School in Dalston, and Upton House Secondary School in Hackney. In 1974 he formed the band 'Evil Ways' with Adrian Smith, John Hoye and Barry Tyler. In 1975 they were joined by singer David Hall. In 1976 the band changed their name to Urchin and were...
- guitar (1974–1978) - David Hall - vocals (1975–1977)
- John HoyeJohn HoyeJohn Hoye is a British actor and bass guitarist. He was born on 6 May 1957 in the London Borough of Hackney. He attended St Dominic’s Primary School and Cardinal Pole RC School in Hackney.-Musical career:...
- bass (1974–1976) - Dave MurrayDave Murray (musician)David Michael Murray is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as one of the earliest members of the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden.-Biography:...
- guitar (1977–1978)